Biography: John Rhys-Davies studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and in addition to his distinguished theatre work - Othello, Macbeth and Falstaff - has taken leading roles in many movies among them Victor/Victoria, The Living Daylights, King Solomon's Mines and the 1992 remake of Conan Doyle's The Lost World in which he starred as Professor Challenger.

Dynanism is something that the Welsh-born actor well understands, having played several such film parts, including his memorable appearances as Harrison Ford's roguish sidekick, Sallah, in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

His prolific television-credits include playing Vasco Rodriguez in James Clavell's Shogun, Agent Malone in the British series The Untouchables, and Joe Gargery in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Rhys-Davies has also starred in the TV mini-series War and Rememberance and has made guest appearances in Murder, She Wrote and Star Trek: Voyager, in which he was twice portrayed Leonardo Da Vinci!

"There is an energetic ferocity in Gimli that the film needs. It's often these minor characters who really have to impart a sense of energy and dynamism to a film so that the heroes can actually take their time to respond and be thoughtful and reflective." - Southland Times, October 12th 2000

"Speaking on behalf of the Dwarves, there are those that see our attempts to earn an honest living, by delving into the Earth, and transmuting it into beautiful things. There are those that are jealous of our culture and would doubtless say that that means we're materialistic and greedy. Well, so we are materialistic! It's a proper way for a dwarf to be!" - Sci-fi Channel"I think you'll find me small enough" - Southland Times, October 12th 2000